Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) today introduced Waters® Oasis® PRiME MCX Cartridges and 96-Well Plates which selectively retain and concentrate basic compounds while removing up to 99% of phospholipids using methods that are up to twice as fast as those for traditional mixed-mode solid phase extraction (SPE) products. With the removal of the most abundant matrix interference, phospholipids, from biological matrices, scientists will simplify their analyses, improve method robustness and increase instrument uptime while getting the accurate information they need to make informed decisions.

“While it is accepted that sample cleanup provides many benefits, such as fewer matrix effects and lower limits of detection, many scientists avoid sample preparation simply because they do not have the time for method development. They want accurate results faster with the fewest steps possible,” said Kim Haynes, Principal Product Marketing Manager, Chemistry Technology Center. “This is why we developed simple three- and four–step protocols to go along with Oasis PRiME MCX that deliver consistently and reproducibly cleaner samples faster than conventional mixed-mode SPE methods. Ultimately, this gives scientists greater confidence in their quantitative test results in support of clinical trial, clinical research, forensic toxicology, food or environmental studies.”

Oasis PRiME MCX is a mixed-mode (reversed-phase and cation exchange) sorbent that addresses the inherent complexities in quantifying target analytes in biological matrices like serum, plasma, whole blood, or human and animal tissue, or food samples including milk, meat and eggs. Furthermore, no conditioning or equilibration steps are required prior to their use, saving scientists significant time and effort. In addition to simplifying analytical workflows, the cleaner samples produced by Oasis PRiME MCX give scientists the same answer time and time again by reducing ion suppression and instrument downtime due to clogged columns and dirty mass spectrometer ion sources. Cleaner samples also translate into longer lasting columns.

Waters’ proprietary manufacturing processes for the cartridges and multi-well plates are optimized to increase flow reproducibility when using positive pressure or vacuum manifolds so that processing times are more predictable. What’s more, for added assurance every batch of sorbent for Oasis PRiME MCX Cartridges and Multi-Well Plates is put through a well-defined, generic, four-step phospholipid removal protocol during the quality control testing process.

Over the last decade, analytical instrument technology has evolved to the point where limits of detection (LODs) are as low as they have ever been. LC-MS instruments are much more capable of detecting and identifying minute concentrations of sample constituents than ever before. Even so, sample constituents can go undetected and those that aren’t detected, aren’t identified and quantified. Therefore sample preparation has never more been more important than it is today for getting high-quality LC-MS results.

A key to increasing the signal intensity and sensitivity of a mass spectrometer is to remove unwanted sample components – lipids and pigments from a blood or plasma sample for example – that interfere with the signal response of the sample analytes being measured. The removal of matrix interferences from samples is also a proven sure-fire way to prolong column life and the service life of a mass spectrometer.

About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com)

Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), the world's leading specialty measurement company, has pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials, and food sciences for nearly 60 years. With approximately 7,000 employees worldwide, Waters operates directly in 31 countries, including 15 manufacturing facilities, and with products available in more than 100 countries.

Waters, Ostro, Sep-Pak and Oasis are trademarks of Waters Corporation.